2011–12 NK Varaždin season
# 2011–12 NK Varaždin season

The 2011–12 season was the 80th season in NK Varaždin (1931–2015) history and their twenty-first in the Prva HNL. Their 11th-place finish in the 2010–11 season means it was their 21st successive season playing in the Prva HNL.

This was a season of highs and lows for the club. A year earlier, in mid-2010, the club had lost its sponsor of 52 years, the Varteks clothing factory, and had changed its name from NK Varteks to NK Varaždin. The loss of their main sponsor severely impacted the club's finances. Offsetting this was their success in the first two Qualifying Rounds of the 2011–12 UEFA Europa League, being knocked out by one goal, on aggregate, in the Third Qualifying Round, played in August 2011. However, as the Prva HNL season progressed, their continued financial difficulties, including missing salary payments to its players, led to it being suspended by the Croatian Football Federation, in spring 2012, for their 23rd and 24th matches. This triggered a Federation rule that led to Varaždin being suspended from the Prva HNL for the remaining matches of the 2011–12 season. Under the rules, the club was immediately relegated to the lowest football level possible of the Croatian football league system, being the seventh-tier Third League of Varaždin County, for the 2012–13 season.

While the club was reinstated to the 3. HNL for the 2103–14 season, its continued financial woes saw the then 74-year-old organisation declare bankruptcy, and cease to exist, at the end of the 2014–15 season.

## First-team squad

    As of 6 March 2012

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1 | GK | CRO | Ante Mrmić |
| 2 | DF | CRO | Ante Režić |
| 3 | DF | CRO | Matija Katanec |
| 4 | DF | CRO | Antonio Mamić |
| 5 | MF | CRO | Luka Jagačić |
| 6 | MF | CRO | Gordan Golik |
| 7 | FW | CRO | Matias Zubak |
| 8 | MF | SVN | Dejan Komljenović |
| 9 | FW | CRO | Mario Sačer |
| 10 | MF | CRO | Dominik Glavina |
| 11 | FW | CRO | Marko Trojak |
| 12 | GK | CRO | Marko Sušac |
| 13 | MF | CRO | Kenan Karađuz |
| 15 | DF | CRO | Danijel Rašić |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 16 | MF | CRO | Jurica Grgec |
| 17 | MF | CRO | Marko Pajač |
| 18 | FW | CRO | Ivan Antolek |
| 19 | FW | CRO | Niko Tokić |
| 20 | DF | CRO | Mirko Plantić |
| 21 | GK | CRO | Dean Šafarić |
| 23 | DF | CRO | Ante Aračić |
| 25 | DF | CRO | Filip Kurtović |
| 26 | DF | CRO | Mario Lončar |
| 27 | DF | CRO | Ivan Conjar |
| 28 | MF | CRO | Leon Kukec |
| 29 | MF | CRO | Domagoj Kuran |
| 30 | DF | CRO | Denis Glavina |

## Competitions

### Overall

| Competition | Started round | Final result | First match | Last Match |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 2011–12 Prva HNL | – | 16th | 24 July | 31 March |
| 2011–12 Croatian Cup | First round | Second round | 20 September | 25 October |
| 2011–12 UEFA Europa League | QR1 | QR3 | 30 June | 4 August |

### Prva HNL

**Classification**

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 12 | Rijeka | 30 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 29 | 29 | 0 | 38 | |
| 13 | Lučko (R) | 30 | 6 | 13 | 11 | 29 | 36 | −7 | 31 | Relegation to Croatian Second Football League |
| 14 | Šibenik (R) | 30 | 6 | 9 | 15 | 27 | 40 | −13 | 27 | Relegation to Croatian Second Football League |
| 15 | Karlovac (R) | 30 | 6 | 7 | 17 | 25 | 53 | −28 | 24 | Relegation to Croatian Second Football League |
| 16 | Varaždin (R) | 24 | 2 | 3 | 19 | 16 | 52 | −36 | 8 | Relegation to Croatian Second Football League |

* ↑ Karlovac were deducted 1 point after they failed to appear on the match against Rijeka
* ↑ Varaždin were deducted 1 point after they failed to play the match against Rijeka due to suspension
* ↑ After Varaždin failed to play two matches due to suspension, according to the competition rulebook they were considered to have withdrawn from the competition and since they have played more than a half of matches in the second part of the season, those matches were considered valid and all further matches were awarded as 3–0 forfeit wins to their opponents. Also according to the rulebook, since Varaždin left the competition after the 24th round, the number of matches they have played will stay at 24 in the league table.

**Results summary**

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |

Last updated: 12 May 2012. Source: Sportnet.hr

**Results by round**

| Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Ground | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A |
| Result | L | L | L | L | D | L | L | L | L | L | L | D | L | L | W | L | W | L | L | L | L | D | L | L | L | L | L | L | L | L |
| Position | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 |

## Matches

### Pre-season

| Match | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Attendance | Varaždin Scorers | Report |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 17 Jun | A | Strmec Bedenica | 3–1 | | Hojski (2), Vuk | Sportnet.hr |
| 2 | 18 Jun | H | Zorya Luhansk | 2–2 | | Vugrinec, Šafarić | Sportnet.hr |
| 3 | 22 Jun | A | Lučko | 3–0 | 300 | Šafarić, Brlečić, F. Škvorc | Sportnet.hr |
| 4 | 25 Jun | H | Karlovac | 4–1 | | Vugrinec (2), Glavica, F. Škvorc | Sportnet.hr |
| 5 | 3 Jul | H | Śląsk Wrocław | 0–1 | | | Sportnet.hr |
| 6 | 17 Jul | H | Middlesbrough | 2–3 | 2,000 | Vugrinec, Trojak | Sportnet.hr |

### Prva HNL

| Round | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Attendance | Varaždin Scorers | Report |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 24 Jul | H | Lokomotiva | 0–2 | 975 | | Sportnet.hr |
| 2 | 31 Jul | A | Šibenik | 0–1 | 2,000 | | Sportnet.hr |
| 3 | 7 Aug | H | Zadar | 1–2 | 517 | Vugrinec | Sportnet.hr |
| 4 | 13 Aug | A | Rijeka | 0–2 | 3,000 | | Sportnet.hr |
| 5 | 20 Aug | H | Istra 1961 | 2–2 | 514 | Golubar, Do. Glavina | Sportnet.hr |
| 6 | 26 Aug | A | NK Zagreb | 0–1 | 500 | | Sportnet.hr |
| 7 | 10 Sep | H | RNK Split | 1–2 | 1,000 | Tokić | Sportnet.hr |
| 8 | 17 Sep | A | Dinamo Zagreb | 0–7 | 5,500 | | Sportnet.hr |
| 9 | 24 Sep | H | Cibalia | 0–1 | 486 | | Sportnet.hr |
| 10 | 1 Oct | A | Slaven Belupo | 0–1 | 1257 | | Sportnet.hr |
| 11 | 15 Oct | H | Karlovac | 0–1 | 312 | | Sportnet.hr |
| 12 | 22 Oct | A | Osijek | 2–2 | 500 | Golubar, Antolek | Sportnet.hr |
| 13 | 29 Oct | H | Lučko | 0–2 | 500 | | Sportnet.hr |
| 14 | 5 Nov | A | Hajduk Split | 0–3 | 5,000 | | Sportnet.hr |
| 15 | 19 Nov | H | Inter Zaprešić | 3–2 | 300 | Tokić, Golubar, Do. Glavina | Sportnet.hr |
| 16 | 25 Nov | A | Lokomotiva | 0–1 | 110 | | Sportnet.hr |
| 17 | 3 Dec | H | Šibenik | 2–1 | 500 | Vugrinec, Sačer | Sportnet.hr |
| 19 | 24 Feb | H | Rijeka | 0 – 3 | – | | Sportnet.hr |
| 20 | 3 Mar | A | Istra 1961 | 1–2 | 1,200 | Do. Glavina | Sportnet.hr |
| 21 | 10 Mar | H | NK Zagreb | 2–3 | 500 | Do. Glavina, Brlenić | Sportnet.hr |
| 22 | 17 Mar | A | RNK Split | 2–2 | 400 | Do. Glavina, Antolek | Sportnet.hr |
| 18 | 21 Mar | A | Zadar | 0–2 | 1,000 | | Sportnet.hr |
| 23 | 24 Mar | H | Dinamo Zagreb | 0–4 | 2,500 | | Sportnet.hr |
| 24 | 31 Mar | A | Cibalia | 0 – 3 | – | | |
| 25 | 7 Apr | H | Slaven Belupo | 0 – 3 | – | | |
| 26 | 14 Apr | A | Karlovac | 0 – 3 | – | | |
| 27 | 21 Apr | H | Osijek | 0 – 3 | – | | |
| 28 | 28 Apr | A | Lučko | 0 – 3 | – | | |
| 29 | 5 May | H | Hajduk Split | 0 – 3 | – | | |
| 30 | 12 May | A | Inter Zaprešić | 0 – 3 | – | | |

$^*$ Varaždin was suspended and thus unable to play the match so the game was awarded 3–0

$^†$ After failing to play two matches in Prva HNL, Varaždin was expelled and all their remaining matches were awarded as a 3–0 forfeit win to opponents

### Europa League

| Round | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Attendance | Varaždin Scorers | Report |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| QR1 | 30 Jun | H | Lusitanos | 5–1 | 2,000 | Šafarić (2), Glavica, Do. Glavina, Vugrinec | Sportnet.hr |
| QR1 | 7 Jul | A | Lusitanos | 1–0 | 400 | Brlečić | Sportnet.hr |
| QR2 | 14 Jul | A | Iskra-Stal | 1–1 | 1,000 | Tkalčić | Sportnet.hr |
| QR2 | 21 Jul | H | Iskra-Stal | 3–1 | 3,000 | Vugrinec (2), Glavica | Sportnet.hr |
| QR3 | 28 Jul | A | Dinamo București | 2–2 | 4,000 | Sačer, Vugrinec | Sportnet.hr |
| QR3 | 4 Aug | H | Dinamo București | 1–2 | 4,793 | Golubar | Sportnet.hr |

### Croatian Cup

| Round | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Attendance | Varaždin Scorers | Report |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| R1 | 20 Sep | A | Podravac Virje | 0–0 (4–2 p) | 300 | | Sportnet.hr |
| R2 | 25 Oct | H | Istra 1961 | 0–1 (a.e.t.) | 500 | | Sportnet.hr |

## Player seasonal records

Competitive matches only. Updated to games played 24 March 2012.

### Top scorers

| Rank | Name | League | Europe | Cup | Total |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Dominik Glavina | 5 | 1 | – | 6 |
| 1 | Davor Vugrinec | 2 | 4 | – | 6 |
| 3 | Josip Golubar | 3 | 1 | – | 4 |
| 4 | Ivan Antolek | 2 | – | – | 2 |
| 4 | Dejan Glavica | – | 2 | – | 2 |
| 4 | Mario Sačer | 1 | 1 | – | 2 |
| 4 | Nikola Šafarić | – | 2 | – | 2 |
| 4 | Niko Tokić | 2 | – | – | 2 |
| 9 | Luka Brlenić | 1 | – | – | 1 |
| 9 | Mario Brlečić | – | 1 | – | 1 |
| 9 | Nikola Tkalčić | – | 1 | – | 1 |
| | TOTALS | 16 | 13 | – | 29 |

Source: Competitive matches

### Disciplinary record

Includes all competitive matches. Players with 1 card or more included only.

| Number | Position | Name | 1. HNL | 1. HNL | Europa League | Europa League | Croatian Cup | Croatian Cup | Total | Total |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2 | DF | Jhonnes | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 4 | MF | Goran Barišić | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 5 | MF | Luka Jagačić | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 5 | MF | Mario Brlečić | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 6 | DF | Gordan Golik | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 8 | FW | Danko Cerovečki | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | Mario Sačer | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 1 |
| 10 | FW | Dominik Glavina | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 10 | MF | Nikola Šafarić | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 12 | GK | Denis Krklec | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 13 | MF | Marko Pajač | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 14 | DF | Karlo Šimek | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| 15 | MF | Danijel Rašić | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 15 | DF | Nikola Tkalčić | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 16 | MF | Jurica Grgec | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 18 | DF | Adam Sušac | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 20 | MF | Josip Golubar | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 21 | GK | Saša Dreven | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 26 | MF | Mario Lončar | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 27 | DF | Ivan Conjar | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| 30 | DF | Denis Glavina | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 30 | FW | Davor Vugrinec | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| | | TOTALS | 42 | 2 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 55 | 5 |

Sources: Prva-HNL.hr, UEFA.com

### Appearances and goals

| Number | Position | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Number | Position | Player | Total | Total | 1. HNL | 1. HNL | Europa League | Europa League | Croatian Cup | Croatian Cup |
| 1 | GK | Ante Mrmić | 5 | 0 | 4+0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 2 | DF | Jhonnes | 9 | 0 | 8+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | Matija Katanec | 2 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 4 | DF | Antonio Mamić | 1 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 4 | MF | Goran Barišić | 8 | 0 | 7+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 5 | MF | Luka Jagačić | 5 | 0 | 5+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 5 | MF | Mario Brlečić | 8 | 1 | 3+0 | 0 | 5+0 | 1 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 6 | DF | Gordan Golik | 9 | 0 | 9+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 6 | MF | Roberto Punčec | 3 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 7 | FW | Matias Zubak | 2 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | Adnan Aganović | 8 | 0 | 3+0 | 0 | 4+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 8 | FW | Danko Cerovečki | 17 | 0 | 5+10 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | Luka Brlenić | 3 | 1 | 0+3 | 1 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | Dejan Glavica | 6 | 2 | 2+0 | 0 | 4+0 | 2 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | Mario Sačer | 25 | 2 | 14+6 | 1 | 4+0 | 1 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 10 | FW | Dominik Glavina | 28 | 6 | 18+2 | 5 | 6+0 | 1 | 2+0 | 0 |
| 10 | MF | Nikola Šafarić | 6 | 2 | 3+0 | 0 | 3+0 | 2 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 11 | MF | Marko Trojak | 8 | 0 | 3+3 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 12 | GK | Marko Sušac | 1 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 12 | GK | Denis Krklec | 13 | 0 | 7+0 | 0 | 6+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 13 | MF | Marko Pajač | 12 | 0 | 4+6 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 14 | DF | Karlo Šimek | 23 | 0 | 15+0 | 0 | 6+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |
| 15 | MF | Danijel Rašić | 16 | 0 | 13+2 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 15 | DF | Nikola Tkalčić | 9 | 1 | 3+0 | 0 | 6+0 | 1 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 16 | MF | Jurica Grgec | 20 | 0 | 11+2 | 0 | 1+4 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |
| 18 | FW | Ivan Antolek | 10 | 2 | 3+6 | 2 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 18 | DF | Adam Sušac | 10 | 0 | 3+2 | 0 | 4+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 19 | FW | Niko Tokić | 17 | 2 | 10+5 | 2 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 |
| 20 | MF | Mirko Plantić | 2 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 20 | MF | Josip Golubar | 19 | 4 | 13+0 | 3 | 2+2 | 1 | 2+0 | 0 |
| 21 | GK | Dean Šafarić | 1 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 21 | GK | Saša Dreven | 11 | 0 | 9+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |
| 23 | DF | Ante Aračić | 4 | 0 | 4+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 23 | DF | Nikola Antolić | 6 | 0 | 2+1 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 25 | FW | Denis Kaniški | 3 | 0 | 0+3 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 26 | MF | Mario Lončar | 18 | 0 | 12+4 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 27 | DF | Ivan Conjar | 27 | 0 | 17+3 | 0 | 5+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |
| 29 | DF | Alen Gluhak | 12 | 0 | 6+1 | 0 | 2+2 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 30 | DF | Denis Glavina | 3 | 0 | 3+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 30 | FW | Davor Vugrinec | 22 | 6 | 14+2 | 2 | 5+0 | 4 | 1+0 | 0 |
| N/A | MF | Dejan Komljenović | 1 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |

Sources: Prva-HNL.hr, UEFA.com

